The Beast with the Golden Crown by Bola Olu-Jordan

‘And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a BEAST rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten HORNS, and upon his horns ten CROWNS, and upon his heads the NAME OF BLASPHEMY. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his SEAT, AND GREAT AUTHORITY. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and ALL THE WORLD WONDERED AFTER THE BEAST. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and THEY WORSHIPPED THE BEAST, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a MOUTH SPEAKING GREAT THINGS AND BLASPHEMIES; … AND IT WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, AND TO OVERCOME THEM: AND POWER WAS GIVEN HIM OVER ALL KINDREDS, AND TONGUES, AND NATIONS. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear’ (Rev.13:1-9).

This is the revelation of John the beloved that God gave him on the Island of Patmos where he was banished to by the Roman Government. Please, note the underlined, capitalized and italicized words, i.e, beast… crown… horns … name of blasphemy … seat… great authority… all the world wondered after the beast… they worshipped the beast… mouth speaking great things and blasphemies… it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations…

With this in mind, please, read this revelation …

***************************************************************************************** THE VISION

I emerged from a distance. The music was blaring from the loud-speaker. It was very melodious; like I never heard such a sweet song in my entire life! I could not resist dancing. The instrumentation was complete, heavy, full and alluring. The songs were soul-inspiring; songs of praise and thanksgiving. The vehicular traffic was thick outside, as many people were trying to find a space to park their cars so that they could partake of the celebration.

It was a Sunday morning. Many, understandably, were gorgeously dressed, radiating a religious happiness. I hurried from a distance; walking briskly and humming to the rhythm of the melodious songs; almost tempted to dance on the street! As I moved nearer, the song leader shouted, ‘kabiyesi o’ and the people shouted, ‘O se o’. It was immediately followed by the talking drum which triggered many people to wriggle their bodies in joyous abandon. So many head-gears flying in different directions, so many rollings... It was too colourful! I am sure the angels would not compromise their dancing in heaven. It seemed as if the people have been starved of singing and dancing, and suddenly let loose. But one thing is sure: these people are happy; very happy. And again they are praising God!

The song leader intruded into my thought with another; ….

I had not finished with this thought that the song leader also introduced another: ‘we are singing unto the Lord Jesus’ and again the people replied ‘singing hallelujah’. Oh, this is marvelous; one must not miss out of a place like this. It is a place to be!

Finally, I made it to the venue. I was ushered in with a professional smile by one of the ushers who was copiously costumed. The atmosphere was charged and happiness pervaded. Those inside unable to find seats were numbered in several thousands.

I could hardly see the altar afar, but it looked to be well decorated with an ambience of royalty; very beautiful, well rugged and flowered. There again, I saw, perhaps, the most beautiful and magnificent seat, and on that seat, was a pure golden crown. There can’t be a purer gold on earth than this! Upon that beautiful crown was an inscription, it was not very legible though, but I managed to read: ‘king of glory’. During the time of worship, I saw many rushing forward, bowing down in worship and then turning back. I was curious. But later, I discovered that they were bowing down to the crown of the king of glory. I was enthused. What a great way to worship the king of glory live!

The singing soon ended and it was time to listen to the message. ‘It would be explosive with the king of glory present’! The ‘man of God’ climbed the pulpit: He was warm and affectionate; a man of the people, loved by all. He was gaily dressed and radiated an unusual aura. As he walked up the pulpit, the instrument suddenly blared and the people were exceedingly happy and they began to hail him with clap and standing ovation. It was evidenced that people love to hear his message. Many began to dance and rejoice, others scramble for pen and paper.

He paraded a scent of lushness. He looked like a good man; clean and well shaven and seemed to know exactly how to carry the people along. As he took hold of the microphone, he began to speak. His words were succulent and comforting, but quite unfortunately, I could not understand it as he seemed to speak in a language I did not understand. But the people around seemed to understand.

As the man spoke, suddenly, there were screamings from different angles, followed by the gentle rise in the tempo of the music to follow the wordings of the man. This lasted as long as the man spoke. I was embarrassingly and painfully lost. What was he saying and what were they hearing?

Suddenly, there were shouts from different places: ‘it is for me, it is for me’. Others were shouting ‘I take that, I receive that’. Suddenly, many started running to the altar. After a while, they were returning with a sack in their hands, which seemed to provoke a smile and excitement on their faces. Everything looked strange, but interesting; but I was lost, painfully so!

I ventured forward, trying to catch a glimpse of what the whole excitement was all about and more so, to collect whatever they were collecting. I made it to the altar after many human commotion. Now I could see the man very well. He was wearing a red cap, and there was an inscription on that cap that reads: ‘Herod’. He was still busy distributing the sacks to different people benevolently just like Father Christmas give gifts to children. Some people were in charge of the sacks, forming a chain and passing the sacks to the man, who, in turn, give the people. These people were small in stature, numbering about ten. They were all in uniform of a vest and a cap. There is an inscription on the cap but I couldn’t just read it, but on their vest was this inscription, ‘turn-dem-on’. Something struck me as I was trying to read what was written on the cap: I discovered that they all have one small, tiny horn in the middle of the head and it seemed they were using the cap to cover it!

They winked at me and laughed hysterically. I looked at the ‘man of God’ and the man asked me to come forward to receive my own. I was hesitant and put on a questioning façade, trying to ask what was in the sack. He seemed to get my communication but he was surprised but careful with me.

The beings with the vest of ‘turn-dem-on’ yelled to the man. ‘Change the source, he is not blind’. In obedience, the man turned to the right hand side and brought out bigger sacks taken from an open, giant book that looked like a bible. He smiled and beckoned on me to come and take my own. Written on the bigger sack were the words ‘fame’, ‘wealth’, ‘comfort’, etc, wrapped in pure gold. I asked what was in the previous sacks and he said: ‘healings’, ‘prosperity’, ‘miracles’, ‘babies’, etc and laughed. He then shouted at me; ‘take yours and let me be. I must attend to others’.

The congregation was disgruntled at me for disturbing the flow of the gifts. In another angle, I saw people naked; both men and women, yet they were dancing in their nakedness, singing songs of praise and worship! Some of them clutched bible in their hands, and others were prophesying and speaking in tongues! There was a sign board hung on the ceiling with the inscription: ‘title holders’. It was becoming stranger than what I could handle! I was beginning to be afraid.

I looked at the magnificent seat I first saw, where I saw the golden crown that ‘king of glory’ was written, and I saw a man seated on it. He looked like every wild beast you can imagine, changing like a chameleon to any animal he so wished. He was naked, thick skinned and his eyes were blood shot. But when I looked very well at the inscription, I discovered that it was not what I thought was written there that was, i.e., ‘king of glory’ but rather, ‘king of gory’. I was so surprised that I gasped! The beast laughed and it was as if it thundered. I became terrified. He stood up and beat his chest with is two hands like the famed ‘king Kong’, and shouted: ‘I am worshipful. I give them all that you see to receive their worship’. The prophet interpreted what the king of gory said in a strange tongue. The congregation seemed to understand and they shouted and clapped.

All of a sudden the whole congregation bowed down towards the golden seat and the music blared again. The beast fingers were claws and his teeth like swords. He shouted: ‘I am ‘Gysus’! He then turned to me and said: ‘I am in charge here, go and ask your master’.

With this, I became visibly afraid. I started to run outside. All of a sudden, the beast mobilized people through the prophet, to pursue me, chanting ‘fool! Fool!! Fool!!!’ Having ran some distance away from the church, they were about to pounce on me when a man appeared in my front and double-crossed me. He had in his hand a long, sharp sword. He removed it from the sheath and I saw that it was a very long, shinning sword with an inscription ‘judgment’. The sword is so long that it puts me within its reach at any distance. The tip of the sword is curved like a sickle. I stopped abruptly and others, too, stopped. He said nothing. He just stood there with a serene look.

Suddenly the people pursuing me screamed: ‘It is Him, it is Him’ and they ran back. The man advanced towards me, put His hand round my shoulder and told me, ‘what you saw is true, but many collecting those sacks did not see what you saw. Go and tell them’. I woke up, perspiring.

It looked so real that I felt it. In panic, I fell down to pray, but not knowing particularly what to say. Before I gathered myself together to say any prayer, the Lord spoke: ‘this is the state of the Church and I have in my hand a sword, for judgment and a sickle to reap my elects; for judgment must begin in my house, and the time is ripe! Go and cry out’!

Men and brethren, the Lord again, is confirming the revelation that He gave to John at this last days that it is true. When we begin to see giants on our way to destiny, it means we are closer to the Promised Land. ‘So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors’ (Mt.24:33).

KING OF GORY

It is no longer strange that most of what we call “Praise and Worship” sessions in our churches today is actually the worship of a strange god, regardless of the melodious tunes and the state-of-the-art equipment! Although, many, with a sincere heart, desire to sing to Jesus, but if their eyes were opened, they would see that the man sitting on the throne is not the King of Glory. There is something missing there, only if you come closer (in the spirit) will you be able to know that letter ‘l’ is missing in the ‘glory’ which reduces it to ‘gory’. Gory means violent, gruesome, brutal, blood-thirst, fierce, horrific, bloody. The letter ‘l’ missing there is actually for 'Lord', and makes our Lord Jesus the ‘King of Glory’! It is only those who see by the eyes of the spirit alone, those who are curious and bold enough to step forward to read the inscription, letter for letter, without assuming, that will know that ‘king of gory’ is different from ‘King of Glory’. Remember, the Bible says the deceit will be so much in the last days that if it were possible, the very elect will be deceived!

Many are innocently, but actively worshipping the beast, who sits on the throne and makes himself a god. Paul warned: ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God’ (2Thess.2:3-4).

KING HEROD

You will recall that in the revelation, so many miracles, healings, prosperity were disbursed to people generously by the harmless, smiling and charming prophet. But notice the inscription on his head, ‘Herod’. He would secretly collect miracles from some pigmies, imps, elfs, goblins, gremlins and pixies, and give it to the innocent people who thought those things were from God. It is Satan’s generosity to appreciate the patronage of the spiritually blind people, who could not discern that many of these miracles are too automatic and too magical to come from God.

The prophet spoke in such inciting, incising and exciting words that people were thrown into emotional frenzy. Remember the warning of Paul in Romans 16:18: ‘For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple’. Peter also warned that: ‘through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not (2Pet.2:3).

People call him ‘prophet’, but his real name is ‘Herod! He speaks with oratory finesse like king Herod of the Bible who was his ancestor. ‘And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost’ (Acts12:23). The set day for the end time Herod is Sundays when crowd are gathered and he can deliver words of philosophy, facts, wisdom of men and other quotes from atheists, communists and many anti-christs who had used such words to annihilate the gospel and countless saints in the past.

The little guys, who were transferring the miracles to Mr. Herod, had on the vest the inscription: ‘turn-dem-on’. These are messengers of Satan who have ‘turned demons’ and have been assigned as go-between between Herod and the king of gory (Satan). They put on a cap to camouflage and cover the little horns on their heads to douse any suspicion that they are demons. They are in charge of all the miracles, prosperity, breakthroughs, healings, etc that the prophet give to the people, but they are in the background; unseen, unnoticed by the innocent congregation! The people see only the magnificent seat and the golden crown, and, of course, the miracles, and they assume it is Jesus! But alas, it is a counterfeit Jesus, his name is ‘Gysus, the king of gory’ and he is the owner of his own miracles, and he disburses it at a hidden cost!

The naked men and women in the corner who were speaking in tongues and prophesying, holding bibles in their hands are title holders in the church (the elders, deacons, pastors, etc). If leaders are naked, drunk, but covering up with false prophesies and strange tongues, what then is the fate of others!

THE DECEIT

While the smaller package was i.e, miracles, healings, etc were for church members, the bigger package was for ministers of the gospel who needed fame, wealth etc. The men of God who receives this package are deceived to think that the wealth, blessing, fame, etc are taken from an expanded, open bible. When such interpret bible passages, you are amazed at their selfish, off-the-mark, interpretation and defense of popularity through media laundering and questionable wealth. This is what Satan is using to buy-up servants of God. The quest for crowd in the church, fame and money to be on the T.V., radio and travel around for the gospel has made many to fall to his advances, who offer these things on a platter of gold. ‘But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition’ (1Tim.6:9). In attending many church growth seminars, by so called powerful and popular men of God, many have been introduced and initiated into miracle manufacturing companies.

The quest for delivering miracles, healings, prosperity, breakthrough, etc, has turned many pastors into Herod. They like to speak in fine speeches and colourful orations so as to gain the applause of the people. They love to speak in wisdom, parables, philosophy, rhymes; that captivates, motivates, psyches and appeals to the souls of the people. The Bible says, ‘Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col.2:8) Such words appeal to the soul, but destroys the spirit of the innocent congregation. The soul-man is made fat at the expense of the spirit-man.

Philosophy is fast dominating the message of the cross on our altars. People prefer divination to revelation from God. They want someone who could tell them about their future and spare them the rigour of waiting on God by themselves.

No wonder Jesus would tell many preachers; ‘depart from me, I never knew ye, you that works iniquity’. We see where the iniquity comes in. Satan always hides and uses people to achieve his aim. He knows that people will always run at the mention of him but he uses people he has empowered and transformed as ‘angels of light’ in order to achieve his subtle purposes (2Cor.11:14). Consequently, many who claim not to like Satan are indirectly enjoying his benefits.

The congregations were deceived and mobilized by the beast to pursue me. They thought they were doing God a service! The congregation did not see the beast, but they saw his representative, Herod, who did all the ‘talking’ and directives. Remember, it was the High Priests that mobilized the Jews to demand that Barabbas, the robber, be released unto them, instead of Jesus? Even Pilate, the gentile said he found no fault with Him, but they insisted that he must die! They were energized by the spirit of religion! As long as they have their titles, their own righteousness and follow the church laws, constitutions, doctrines and creeds, they fail to discern the spirit.

It is amazing that several thousands were gathered in that place to worship the beast, thinking it is Jesus! Fine, educated, deeply spiritual and religious people with titles; innocently singing with all their hearts, and worshipping with all that they have. They have been deceived!

Peter said: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not’ (2Pet.2:1-3). They would use feign words to make merchandize of people. Unfortunately, these are the two things many people are going to the church to get: feign words and (fake) blessings. Herod is noted for his feign words, and the sacks represents the blessings. This is peculiar to the last days. That is what many are looking for in the church today, not God. And Satan is there to meet their needs.

The ratio of those who are able to discern between the King of Glory and the king of gory is so little that it is compared to only one person in that whole congregation of worshippers. You would recall that in one of our past editions titled: ‘Rapture, One in a Million: is it that serious’? The Lord revealed to a man of God that the ratio of those who would go in the rapture will be something compared to ‘one in a million’! If this were to be true, calculate how many millions we are in this nation and It will shock you to know how many might make the rapture, based on that revelation. So also, the ratio of those being deceived is that great: only one person in that great congregation!

THE ENGRAFTED WORD

The Bible says: ‘for the time will come (now it has arrived) when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables’ (2Tim.4:3-4). Fables are light words, cock-and-bull stories that carry no enlivening power of the Holy Spirit. Words of mere entertainments, that makes the heart of the people merry on vanity, without an iota of sobriety to God. That is what the crowd embrace; but the remnant weighs all things.

We are enjoined to receive with meekness the ‘engrafted word of God which is able to save our souls’ (James 1:12). This means the words that have been engrafted into us. Grafting means insert, embed, implant, attach, fix. Just like some fruits can be grafted into another to produce another specie, so also when we allow the word of God to be grafted into us, we will no longer produce the fruit we used to produce before. The specie would have changed to a new one. That is why 1Cor.5:17 says ‘if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things are become new’. ‘If any man be in Christ’, not be in the Church. We may be in the Church without being in Christ. We may be a member of a denomination without being a member of the body of Christ. We may be an elder in the church or even a pastor without ever knowing Christ. It is only when we allow the word to be implanted and engrafted into us that it can bring another fruit different from the one we have been bearing before (old nature), that is when we become a new creation. That is when old things (fruits) have passed away.

It is only the engrafted Word of God that can effect the change and discern between magic of the king of gory and the miracles of the King of Glory. ‘For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Heb.4:12). Because it is sharp, quick and powerful, it can pierce and divide between the words of the soul (wisdom) and the words of the spirit (revelation). Otherwise, one will be deceived. It is only the engrafted word alone that can separate the joints and the marrow. The marrow is inside the bone; it is the Rhema, the real ‘vitamin’. It takes extra effort to bring it out. Only the word of God can discern (through the Holy Spirit) between the thoughts and intents of the heart. Remember, if it were possible, the very elect will be deceived!

Unfortunately, many people today are not patient for the word to be grafted-in into their lives, so there is nothing to separate between the joints and the marrow, neither is there anything to pierce and divide asunder the message of the soul and that of the spirit. They look alike, but they are different. It is only the Holy Spirit that can discern the thoughts and the intents of the heart. They do not have the eyes of the spirit to see that the man sitting on the throne is not Jesus. They care less where the miracle is coming from as long as it is what they need. Although, they have left Egypt but Egypt is yet to leave them. They still long for her onions and cucumbers. They still love her music, dance, dress and friendship.

Peter wrote: ‘For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2Pet.1:16).

IT IS TIME TO RUN!

Men and brethren, not all that glitters is gold. The greatest loss in a human life is to get to heaven to discover that all that he has believed is actually a lie. It is not a waste of time; it is a waste of life and destiny. God does not save by multitude. The cloud is moving and yet the saints are sleeping. Eternity is too final to be left to chance. Are you part of the crowd or the remnant? The time has come that judgment must begin in the house of the Lord. God is gathering His elects who are tragically lost and are stranded in many of these churches. Are you among? It is time to run! They will hear His voice at the last days, and they will come out of her and be separate! (2Cor.6:17, Rev.18:4). The Bible says, ‘a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers’ (Jn.10:5).

I plead with you, reader, do not be an ignorant partaker of the wrath of God; for it is a terrible thing, to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb.10:31). Examine yourself, your worship, your praise. Is it to the king of glory or king of gory? What type of song tickles you? What type of gathering excites you? What do you go to church for: miracles, healings, prosperity, breakthroughs, etc? These are good, but they are additions. Because the crowd embraces, it does not make it of God. Jesus said it is the gentiles that seek after all those (Mt.6:32). ‘But seek ye first THE KINGDOM of God and ITS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things (miracles, etc) shall be added unto you’ (Mt.6:33). THE KINGDOM AND ITS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ABOUT HEAVEN ABOVE AND PURITY BELOW. Are these in the content of your gathering or it is solely ‘all these things’? Church is not where miracles are collected but where saints are made. Miracles are acts of God, but we must desire His ways, for along the way are all these things situated. They follow as we go. David said goodness and mercies shall follow me, not me follow them.

Finally brethren, may I give you a clue that will help you to know in whose side you queue, whether the King of Glory of king of gory? Honestly ask yourself these two questions: (1) Do I know Jesus? (2) Does Jesus know me? Remember, it’s one thing to know Jesus, (almost everybody does, including demons), but Jesus does not know everybody. Everybody knows the president, some can even talk about his parent, his birth, his passion, etc, but how many of these ones does the President know? I may pass an examination based on President Obasanjo’s Life because I have read and studied his entire life profile, but he knows nothing of me. He doesn’t even know I exist.

At the last days, many will still claim to know him. Some will even say they perform miracles in His name. But what would be His reply: I know you not, depart from me, ye that works iniquity. They know Him, but He does not know them. You claim to know Him, but does He know you? If you are not sure, now is the time to be sure. It will be too late to do this when you get to heaven, regardless of your title. Remember, heaven is not for title holders, it is for the ‘children’ of God. It is time to run out of such gathering, and run to Jesus (2Cor.6:17), for God is not a God of organization, but of individual!